Dynasty (TV series)

Dynasty was an American primetime television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 1981 to May 1989. The series revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado.

Beginnings

The working title for Dynasty was Oil -- the starring role originally went to George Peppard. In early drafts of the pilot script the two main families featured in the series, the Carrington and Colby families, were written as Parkhurst and Corby respectively.

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Peppard, who had difficulties dealing with the somewhat unsympathetic role of Blake, was replaced with John Forsythe. In the final production drafts the names Parkhurst and Corby were changed to Carrington and Colby, and their rivalry was written to emulate the Montagues and Capulets of Romeo & Juliet, that is, crossed in love and war.

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As the series opened, tycoon Blake Carrington (John Forsythe) was about to marry Krystle Jennings (Linda Evans), a younger woman whom he met when she took a job as a secretary at his company, the monolithic Denver-Carrington.

Related Topics:
John Forsythe - Linda Evans

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Krystle was young, beautiful and vulnerable, described by the show's creator Esther Shapiro as "an American Aphrodite". She found a hostile reception in the Carrington household - the staff patronised her, Blake's daughter Fallon (Pamela Sue Martin) resented her, and her husband was too preoccupied with his work. Krystle's only ally in the Carrington house was her stepson, the sexually ambivalent Steven (Al Corley).

Related Topics:
Esther Shapiro - Pamela Sue Martin - Al Corley

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The first season heavily featured Matthew Blaisdel (Bo Hopkins), Krystle's first love, who worked for Blake Carrington as a geologist and was unhappily married to the emotionally fragile Claudia (Pamela Bellwood). While their daughter Lindsay (Katy Kurtzman) suffered from their marital strife, Claudia had a fling with Steven. Blake grew paranoid that Krystle was having an affair with Matthew, and raped her - a plot development ignored in later seasons. When Claudia testified at Blake's murder trial, she was forced to confess her affair with Steven. A hurt Matthew took Lindsay and left town in early season two. They were presumed dead in an accident, but the season premiere for the 1987-1988 season featured an enraged Matthew's return from the dead. He held the Carrington family hostage and was killed by Steven.

Related Topics:
Bo Hopkins - Pamela Bellwood - Katy Kurtzman - 1987 - 1988

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At the conclusion of the show's first season, as Blake Carrington stood trial for the murder of his son's lover, Ted Dinard (Mark Withers), the script called for the return of Blake's former wife, the sultry, elegant Alexis Carrington. (In early drafts of the script the character was named Madelaine Carrington.) With the role uncast, a model was used in the season finale.

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